Vest pocket flash light



July 23,1935. 7 '0. A. LANGOS 2, 0

VEST POCKET FLASH LIGHT Filed Jan. 2, 1935 Patented July 23, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Electric Manufacturln poration of Illinois Application January 9 Claims.

My invention relates-to electric flash-lights, its general object being that of providing an exceedingly simple, easily manufactured and inexpensive construction suitable for a vest-pocket size of flash-light, and one which will not require any separately constructed "switch for controlling the flow of current from the battery through the lamp bulb.

More particularly, my invention relates to a flash-light in which the battery has an end ter- -minal disposed for contacting directly with the axial terminal of the lamp bulb of the flash-light; in which this battery is continuously urged away from the said bulb terminal by a spring, and in which battery cell can readily be slid toward the bulb terminal by digital pressure against a presser button disposed at the opposite end of the flashlight.

For such a flash-light, my invention aims to provide a battery, bulb support and spring arrangement in which current is carried from the non-axial terminal of the battery by the same spring which normally holds the battery away from the axial terminal of the lamp bulb, thereby eliminating the need ofany auxiliary currentcarrying provisions.

Furthermore, my invention aims to provide an exceedingly simple assembly of a tubular casing member with a casing bottom having a perforation, a presser member having a button projecting through the said perforation, and means on the tubular casing member for limiting the inward movement of the presser member.

In addition, my invention aims to provide an inexpensive frontal end member adapted to be manually attached to, or detached from the opposite end of the casing, together with simple means supported by the said end member for receiving the threaded screw shell of an incandescent lamp bulb. To accomplish these purposes, I employ a simple wire spring as the bulb-socketing element in substitution for any thread formed on a forward end part of the flash-light, and I form the main portion of the frontal end member so that the resiliency of this bulb-engaging spring will retain the spring rigidly in the main portion of the frontal end member without requiring any auxiliary provisions for that purpose.

Illustrative of the manner in which I accomplish the above recited objects,

Fig. l is a greatly enlarged section taken along the axis of a vest pocket flash-light embodying my invention, showing the parts as they appear when the flash-light is not in use.

Fig. 2 is a partially sectioned side elevation,

g 00., Chicago, 111., a cor- 2, 1935, Serial No. 72

showing the battery as slid forward to its bulblighting position by the pressure of a finger against a presser member, a portion of which finger is shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the detachable forward end member of the casing.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the upper end portion of the tubular casing member or barrel.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the lower end portion of the same tubular casing member.

Fig. 6 isa perspective view of the annular rear end member of the casing.

Fig. 7 is a rear end view of the battery.

Fig. 8 is a bottom perspective view of the presser member.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section taken along the axis of the battery through the forward end of the battery and parts adjacent thereto, drawn on a still larger scale than the other figures.

In the illustrated flash-light, the barrel or tubular casing member is a tube I of generally cylindrical exterior, provided at its forward end with two diametrically opposite bayonet slots 2, this tube having a peripheral groove 3 rolled in near its lower end for the two purposes hereafter recited.

Fitted upon the forward end of this tube is a stamped metal cap member, shown separately in Fig. 3. This comprises an outer tubular portion 4 normally telescoped over the said end of the tube I, an inner cylindrical-tubular portion 5 of smaller diameter than the bore of the tube I, and an annular frontal portion 6 connecting the forward ends of the said tubular portions 4 and 5. The outer tubular portion 4 has two diametrically opposite inwardly directed nubs l disposed for interlocking respectively with the two bayonet slots 2 in the tubular barrel of the casing, and the inner tubular portion 4 has its lower end contracted to afford an annular interior flange 8.

Seated on this flange 8 is a short spiral spring l2 formed of resilient wire of a diameter corresponding to the pitch of the thread on the screw shell Ha of the lamp bulb H of the flash-light, the exterior diameter of the spiral spring being such that the spring is so tightly wedged in the bore of the inner tubular portion 4 as to resist a movement of the spring both longitudinally and rotationally of the said tubular portion.

To insure this firm interlocking, I use a coiled spring l5 formed with its exterior diameter somewhat larger than the bore of the inner tubular portion 4 of the cap member, this being a tightly coiled spring having very "few turns, as for example only two turns. With such a short length,

. incidentally also compensates for ordinary manufacturing variations in the exterior-diameter of the spring and the interior diameter of the tubular cap portion which houses it.

Permanently attached to the rear end of the tubular barrel i is a rear end member, shown separately in Fig. 6. This consists of an initially entirely cylindrical tubular portion 10 having a bore closely corresponding to the exterior of the tubular barrel I, and an annular end portion H having a central perforation l2, the radially outward part of this end portion being dished toward the free end of the tubular portion It so as to offset the major portion of the rear end member from its peripheral portion.

Before attaching this rear end member to the barrel I, I slip into the rear end of this barrel a pressure member, shown separately in Fig. 7. This consists of a sheet metal disk I 3, the diameter of which is larger than the interior diameter of the grooved portion 3 of the barrel, but sufliciently smaller than the bore of the extreme rear end part of the barrel to permit the disk to slide freely in the barrel. This disk has its central portion formed into a dome-like boss I3a of a diameter notgreater than the central perforation I2 in the rear end member, and the disk is inserted in the barrel with its said boss directed toward the rear end of the barrel.

After the presser member has thus been disposed in the barrel, the tubular portion iii of the rear and member is slid upon the rear end of the barrel until that barrel end abuts against the u-sectioned end portion l I of the member. Then I contract the free end of the said tubular portion Ill into the said peripheral groove 3 of the barrel, as shown in Figure 1, thereby firmly anchoring the said rear end member to the barrel.

To complete the illustrated flash-light, a common type of dry cell battery is slid into the barrel I from the forward end of the latter before the forward end member is attached to the barrel, until the exposed bottom Ma of this battery seats on the disks iii of the presser member, this battery being preferably only slightly smaller in its extreme diameter than the bore of the grooved portion 3 of the barrel. I then insert into the barrel a spiral compression spring I5 which has the interior diameter of its rear end sumciently larger than the diameter of the usual forwardly projecting terminal 16a of the battery that this end will be sure to seat only on the usual insulating sealing Me of the battery.

This compression spring has its forward end of such a diameter as to engage the annular flange 8 at the inner end of the forward end member,

as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, when the forward end member is attached to the barrel after the lamp bulb has been attached to the forward end member as in Fig. 1.' r

In practice, I desirably form at least two of the rear end turns of the spring of an exterior diameter larger than the bore of the battery, whereby the resiliency of these turns will press them against the bore of the metal barrel 5. I also form the spring from wire of a considerably larger diameter than the clear spacing between the bore of the casing barrel and the usual zinc barrel l6 of the dry battery, so that the rear end turn of the spring will also bear against this battery barrel end (as in Fig. 9) to connect the zinc electrode of the battery with the metal barrel i of the flash-light casing.

I also make the forward end of the spring of a diameter intermediate that of interior and exterior diameters of the annular flange 8 of the forward end member, so that the forward turn of this spring will bear forwardly against the said flange, as in Figs. 1 and 2.

In addition, I form the coiled spring is initially of such a length that it will still be only partially compressedwhen the battery is slid forward to the position of Fig. 2 in which the axial terminals of the battery and the lamp bulb engage each other, and I dispose the barrel groove 3 so the interior ridge presented by this groove will not yet be engaged by the head l3 of the presser member when the latter has been moved to bring the said terminals into interengagement, as this ridge serves merely to retain the presser member in an operatable position when the battery is not in the casing. Thus disposed, the spring resists the forward sliding of the battery by digital pressure on the exposed button 13a of the presser member, and also holds the nubs 'I of the forward end member securely interlocked with the bayonet slots 2 of the barrel.

Moreover, my just recited propo'rtioning also allows both for manufacturing variations in the total length of the lamp and for variations in the extent to which the lamp bulb has been screwed through the forward end member.

When the battery needs to be renewed, a slight rearward pressure on the forward end member allows this to be rotated until its latch nubs i reach the portions of the slots 2 which open at theend of the barrel. A releasing of the said pressure permits the spring to force the forward and member off the barrel, afterwhich the weight of the battery will cause the latter to slide the spring out of the barrel ahead of the battery, when the barrel is turned with its forward end downward. After a new battery has been inserted in the barrel I, the user can readily force the spring back into its proper position again, with the larger diametered end of the spring inserted flrst.

By disposing the inner end of the compression spring l5 with the exposed end of the zinc can of the battery and with the bore of the metal barrel of my flash-light casing, I cause this spring to connect the zinc terminal of the battery directly with the flange 8 of the forward end member, from which member the short thread-affording spring l5 carries current to the threaded screw-shell Ha of the lamp bulb. In addition, the rear end turns of the spring also connect this battery can with the bore of the metal casing barrel I, even if the battery can 86 has the usual paper wrapping l9 around it, and the metal end cap is in conducting relation to the short (thread-forming) spring l5, thereby affording a second conducting path between the zinc can of the battery and the screw terminal Ha of the lamp bulb.

Owing to these double conducting provisions, I do not need to depend on having the presser member serve as part of the means for electrically connecting the battery can with the screw terminal of the lamp. Consequently, the boss l3a of the presser member can be of considerably smaller diameter than the bore Ila of ,the flange in the end member through which that boss projects, and this bore need not be carefully machined. Moreover, I entirely eliminate the need of any separately constructed switch for controlling an electrical connection between the battery and the lamp bulb.

However, while I have heretofore described my invention in connection with an embodiment including numerous desirable details of construction and arrangement, I do not wish to be limited in these respects, since many changes might be made without departing either from the spirit of my invention or from the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A forward end member for a forwardly open casing of an electric flash-light, comprising: an outer tubular portion attachable to the mouth end of the casing, an inner tubular portion of relatively smaller bore extending within the said outer portion and connected at its forward end to the latter, the said inner portion having an inwardly directed annular flange at its rear end; the frontal member also including a tightly coiled spiral spring snugly housed by the said inner portion and bearing rearwardly against the said flange; the said spring serving as a threaded element for receiving the usual threaded screw shell of a lamp bulb.

2. A front end member for a forwardly open casing of an electric flash-light, comprising an annular metal stamping of a rearwardly open radial U-section having its radially outward portion adapted to sleeve upon the forward end of the casing and having an inwardly directed annular flange at the rear end of its radially-inner portion; and a tightly coiled spiral spring of relatively few turns housed by the said inner portion and bearing rearwardly against the said flange, the resiliency of the said spring pressing its said turns radially outward against the bore of the said inner portion to prevent both rotational and forward movement of the spring with respect to the said stamping, the said spring serving as a threaded element for receiving the usual threaded screw shell of a lamp bulb.

3. In an electric flash-light, a tubular metal barrel, an annular forward end member detachably mounted on the forward end of the barrel, the said end member including a tubular portion housed by and coaxial with the barrel and an inwardly directed annular flange on the rear end of the said tubular portion; a coiled spring tightly socketed in the said tubular portion and bearing rearwardly against .the said flange; a lamp bulb including a metal screw shell threaded through the said spring, and presenting an axial terminal farther rearward than the said flange; a perforated rear end member fastened to the rear end of the barrel; a presser member including a head normally bearingrearwardly against the rear end member, and a digitally engageable portion projecting through the said end member; a dry battery slidable within the barrel, the battery including a terminal forming can-like metal casing having its bottom engaging the head of the presser member, and a forwardly projecting terminal normally spaced rearwardly from the axial terminal of the lamp bulb; and spring means normally pressing the battery rearwardly,.against the presser member to resist a forward sliding of the battery by digital pressure on the presser member.

4. An electric flash-light as per claim 3, in which the said barrel has an inwardly extending integral stop formation disposed for engaging the head of the presser member to limit the forward movement of the presser member.

5. An electric flash-light as per claim 3, in which the forward end member is metallic and in conducting relation to the metal barrel, and in which the said spring means comprise a spring having its rearward portion bearing against both the bore of the metal barrel and the mouth which the forward end member is metallic and in conducting relation to the metal barrel, and in which the said spring means comprise a coiled spring having its rearmost turn bearing both rearwardly against the mouth end of the can-like casing of the battery and radially of the spring against the bore of the said metal barrel.

8. An electric flash-light as per claim 3, in which the forward end member is metallic and in conducting relation to the metal barrel, and in which the said spring means comprise a coiled spring having its rearmost turn bearing both rearwardly against the mouth end of the canlike casing of the battery, and radially against the bore of the said metal barrel; the said spring can-like casing; an annular frontal member ineluding a radially outer portion sleeved upon the mouth end of the said casing, and also including a tubular portion extending into the casing and having an annular interior flange spaced from the forward end of the said tubular portion; a tightly coiled spring housed by the said tubular portion and bearing against the said flange, the spring being of smaller bore than the said flange, and being initially formed with its exterior diameter sufficiently greater than the bore diameter of the tubular portion so that the resiliency of the spring latches the spring against movement with respect to the said tubular portion; and an incandescent lamp bulb including as one terminal a metallic screw shell having its thread substan-.

tially corresponding to that formed by the interior of the said spring.

O'I'I'O A. LANGOS. 

